The angel said of the seventh beast (Revelation 17:10) that “he must remain only a little while.” This notion of short duration is echoed in relation to the bullying activity of the ten horns. In the spectrum of how long a king reigns, “one hour” is a short time. It is true that in the midst of temptation an hour can seem long. So here is also comfort for John’s readers that there is respite from the bullying.
12 And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast.